BOWLS REPORT - May 28th 2011

The first part of this season’s area two county competition green finals were completed on a cold damp evening at Barnes Park as the fours competition was completed. The Barnes Park quartet of Jim Laidler, Anthony Wood, Ronnie Miller and Kevin Richardson defeated Sunderland’s Ron Campbell 21-10 while the fancied Silksworth county quartet of Billy Ferry, Paul Baker, Keith Avery and David Bolt defeated Whitburn’s Kenny Peters 22-11. The remaining final saw a local derby as Roker Marine’s Phillip Dixon, Ray Robinson, Peter Thomson and Bobby Graham defeat Roker Parks Terry Todd 17-10, all three squads now progress into the second stage of the competition and are just three games away from qualifying for the national championships at Worthing in August. This week will see the triples take centre stage, the three ties are M.Laydon (Silksworth) v P.Dixon (Roker Marine), S.Baker (Silksworth) v R.Mckie or D.Bolt, A.Middleton (Roker Marine) v R.Miller (Barnes Park) – the ties take place on Thursday at Barnes Park starting at 6.30pm.

Despite the poor weather and the declining state of the city bowling greens the Sunderland and District leagues are progressing along, in the Harold Howey Division one holders Barnes Park B (8) are one of three teams only separated by shots difference at the top, Seaham Town A and Roker Park A are the other two. In division two Whitburn are the early leaders while Houghton Dairy Lane B are the early leaders in division three. Hylton CW (14½) head the Storey Bowl from Hetton Workmen’s while Swan Cup holders Silksworth are top in the Swan division one albeit on shots from Houghton Dairy Lane, in division two Washington and Houghton Town are already five points clear with Pemberton and Pennywell at the foot of the table. The two Roker sides lead the way in the Earl Cup division one with Marine just the leaders by 1½ points, in division two Sunderland are the early leaders.

The Durham County A team open up there season this weekend with a Northern Counties double header at The Parks, in the morning Durham face Yorkshire and then in the afternoon they face Lancashire, the following teams have been selected –

v Yorkshire

D.Reid (Leadgate), N.Buckley (RA), K.Avery & D.Bolt (Silksworth), G.Peacock (Hundens), A.Ward, D.Fenwick, G.Skipp (all Owton Lodge), V.Rewcastle, J.Fielding, M.Jones, A.Macey (all RA), H.Shields, P.Baker (both Silksworth), D.Livingston (Dunston), W.Funnell (Silksworth), B.Poulter (Usworth), P.Dixon (Roker Marine), C.Northam, R.Chisholm (both RA), K.Burton (RA), G.Farquhar (Silksworth), J.Mansfield, J.Wells (Park)

Reserves – A.Bryden (Dunston), A.Kirtland (RA), B.Arkley (Dunston), C.Black (RA), S.Northam (RA), D.Todner (HDL), V.Avery (Silksworth), P.Coulson (Leadgate)

v Lancashire

S.Northam (RA), V.Avery (Silksworth), J.Fielding (RA), W.Funnell (Silksworth), B.Arkley (Dunston),D.Todner (HDL), A.Bryden (Dunston), J.Wells (Park), C.Black, N.Buckley (both RA), P.Baker (Silksworth), J.Mansfield (Park), B.Poulter (Usworth), D.Reid (Leadgate), M.Jones, R.Chisholm (both RA), P.Coulson (Leadgate), D.Livingston (Dunston), D.Fenwick, G.Skipp (both Owton Lodge), K.Burton (RA), P.Dixon (Roker Marine), G.Farquhar (Silksworth), C.Northam (RA)

Reserves – A.Kirtland (RA), D.Bolt (Silksworth), K.Avery (Silksworth), V.Rewcastle (RA), G.Peacock (Hundens), A.Ward (Owton Lodge), H.Shields (Silksworth)

In the national top club competition Silksworth set up a juicy round two tie against Darlington RA following a good 4-1 win over Elm Tree from Stockton. In the champion of champions Dawdon’s Adrian Bates had a tremendous 21-20 win over Darlington RA’s county player Mark Jones, in the next round Bates will entertain either RA’s Mark Ralphs or Barnes Park’s Brian Taylor. Marine’s Patrick Thomson went out 21-19 at Consett Park to John Donoghue. Houghton Dairy Lane’s Laughlin Todd progressed into the next round of the Over 55 singles with a 21-8 win over Sherburn Park’s Alan Snell while in the Over 55 pairs Marine’s Bobby Graham went down 16-13 to Neville Crosses Ian Hudson.

Whitburn is again holding it’s Open Pairs tournament on 10th July, the first prize is £200 and the entry fee is £6.00 per pair, as usual refreshments will be available and the competition will consist of a round robin format followed by a knock out stage, entries can be be made by contacting Fred Knubley on 0191-5292492 or email at fred.knubley@talktalk.net , the closing date for entries is 28th June.